My Little Thief
by Oasisofdreams
Summary: A job that's not a job and a stolen item that can never be given back. Luffy was an abandoned child taken in by a gang/mafia. He ended up becoming the pet to the boss who had saved him from the streets. Luffy wants out and a man with white hair seems to be just the one to help him. But who is this man that wants to know exactly who Luffy is, and why does he seem not to trust him.
1. First Sighting

**I have thought of this idea while I was chasing away boredom one day. It isn't completly like what I had started it out to be in my head, but I figured I would try it out as a fanfic. In all honesty, you don't have to like it. Whether it gets reviews or not I shall continue to write this story because I enjoy it. I also have time on my hands that I should probably do something with relating to school, but that probably won't be happening any time soon. So without further ado, the random story that I shall try as my first shōnen ai/yaoi bit. Please don't judge, the story was originally a love type of thing and, sadly, I'm not that big a fan of the girls in One Piece. Don't get me wrong I think they are great for those older/younger sister types, also best friend, but pairing, not so much. Any way, I don't own the characters and now please enjoy.**

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**Luffy's POV**

This isn't how it was supposed to be. Sure it was easy but there wasn't supposed to be any feelings attached. I'm a professional and this is the greatest disaster of my life. How could I have screwed up so badly? Sure he was hot, kind, a little bit forceful, and protective but I've dealt with guys like him all the time before. Why is he so different? Why do I want him to save me this nightmare so badly? When did this even start? Oh, right. It started when I was left on the streets to die, so long ago. I was then picked up by a strange man with a pigeon on his shoulder. He told he would save me but look at me now. I'm a prisoner. Forced into working with these no good criminals just because the big boss saved me. I'm nothing more than a caged bird to them. Fragile but able to con even the most… "innocent" of men and women. I am nothing more than a thief that uses lust to achieve my purpose and fool those poor saps who are too fucking stupid to know that I don't actually care about them.

That's right, this job was no different than the last. I was watching the crowd at Grand Line Station, well it was more observing the crowd but who cares. I had been there for well over four hours and both Kaku and Blueno looked sick of waiting. So I decided it was time to leave since it didn't look like today was my lucky day when the subway entered the station. I started to turn my head as the doors opened and my eyes were immediately attracted to a man with white hair. Judging from his face he didn't look to be past his thirties, though there was a scar that ran from his forehead, travels over his right eye, and ends at the side of his face, at least it looked like it ended. He wore a business suit, though it looked rather small and uncomfortable on him. I should have just walked away, I could tell that he was too flashy for any good to come out of - doing business with him.

I didn't listen.

I trailed my head over to my two "keepers" and brought it back to the white haired man. Without looking to see if they understood, I found myself walking over to him. I was halfway there when Kaku stopped me. I turned around and saw that look that said that Lucci, the man who "saved" me, wanted to see me. At that I panicked. Normally I would have resigned myself to go and see the man that I despised, but something just didn't sit right with me. I shoved Kaku away from me and ran. I almost ran right into Blueno but just barely managed to slip by him.

My eyes scanned the crowd, looking for the white hair I felt that I so desperately needed. When my eyes finally found it I ran with all my might to him. I grabbed onto his back just as another train entered the station. With a start, the man turned around and I looked straight into his silver eyes. I almost lost the words that I was going to say but the sound of Kaku and Blueno getting closer snapped me back to thinking. "Help me," it was barely a whisper. My voice shocked me. I could act, but not as well as I had just pleaded to this man.

The man did what, oddly, I didn't expect. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me into the train, doors shutting behind us. He held onto me tightly as the train left the station and I could feel that there was tension present around him. I tried to turn around only once, but that one time he had tightened his grip and I was forced to remain facing the door. Now that I wasn't panicking I noticed that this white haired man was well, and I mean well, toned. I found his muscles rather relaxing and ended up, unintentionally, dozing off. As my eyes slowly closed shut, I noticed that he was looking at me with analyzing eyes.

**Smoker's POV**

I had heard the rumors but in all honesty I didn't believe a word. A young male, onyx hair, amethyst eyes with a scar under the left eye and a straw hat either on his head or hanging on his back had been seen in Grand Line Station quite a few times in the past month. Now originally I just wanted to yell at my superiors that this "questionable" guy was one of thousands that frequented the station and that they could drop the shit act and just get on with their lives. After seeing said young man I had three thoughts come rushing into my head one after the other. The first thought was that this was the best shit act that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The second thought was that I needed to write a letter of apology to my superiors. The third thought was that the kid looked scared shitless.

He only confirmed my last thought when he slightly glanced back, a normal person would have missed it, and barely whispered, "Help me." I froze. I will admit it, though it pains me, that I didn't know how to respond to that. I heard a slight sound, of what I forgot, and I quickly wrapped my arm around his slender waist and pulled him aboard the train just as the doors shut. I barely noticed the two figures that looked like hell was going to rain down. I could only guess they were who I was saving the kid from.

We stayed in that position for a while, I looked into the window to analyze his reflection. He tried to turn so I tightened my grip and kept him facing away from me, I didn't need to fall victim to the stupid rumors that were floating around. He complied and I finally noticed how skinny he was. Yes, I fucked up for a second time within the span of thirty minutes. I was holding onto the boys waist, how could I have not have told that he was skinny sooner.

I felt the boy relax in my hold and I watched as he drifted from consciousness, eyes meeting through the reflection just before his closed. I supported his weight but the way I was holding him was awkward and uncomfortable. So I picked the boy up and ended up carrying him bridal style so that we didn't overload the crowded train car. He seemed to recognize this hold for he brought his hands to my stupid suit and grabbed on. He clutched it in his hand and looked to relax just a little bit more.

I sighed and thought about what to say to the people who waiting for me at work. I wasn't a fan of leaving Tashigi to run things on her own though I know she is more than capable of doing it. I sighed and waited for the train to get where it was going, seeing as how I no fucking clue where we were headed. That's what happens when you have no fucking clue what you're supposed to save a stupid as shit stranger from. I took almost all of it back when he nuzzled his head into my chest. What the hell did I do to deserve this.

Almost half-an-hour later I got off the train at East Blue Station and found myself thanking whoever decided that I deserved this. Luck, though I don't want to admit it, seemed to be somewhat on my side. I left the underground and hailed a cab so that I didn't have to walk around the small town carrying the boy. I had a good reputation and I knew people wouldn't really question it, but something told me to keep him hidden.

I didn't need to tell the driver where to take me, as I said it's a small town, everyone knows everyone and everything in that town. I brought out my phone however and flinched slightly as I saw that I had almost fifty messages from the people at work. I hit my least favorite number on my phone, its two in case you're. wondering, and brought the phone up to my ear.

"Where the hell are you?" the voice demanded at the other end as soon as the person answered.

"In a cab heading home," I gruffed out. He was not going to be happy.

"Shouldn't you be heading into work you dumbass bastard, fucking-" I stopped as I figured that the curses were just going to continue from there. Instead I found myself looking at the sleeping boy next to me. His head was resting on my leg while his body curled itself onto the seat. I kept looking at the boy but brought my attention back to my yelling co-worker, "-are you even listening you asshole?"

The boy once again nuzzled into me and I couldn't help but smirk, "I had a sudden change of plans."

"Oh, and who authorized this?"

"You did yesterday, don't you remember?"

I was answered by silence. The man seemed to understand what I was talking about but wasn't quite sure. "Are you saying that you believe in that- oh now how did you put it- shit ass story that I told you yesterday?" the voice answered both carefully and with a touch of pure poison in it.

"Yes sir, I certainly do. You'll have your letter of apology as I soon as I get around to writing it," I spoke with as much formality as I could, trying not to anger him further. I was slowly starting to fear for my subordinate's life.

He sighed then spoke. "Keep with you, try to have an eye on him at all times, _do not_ trust a thing he says but try to get information out of him without letting on too much, _do not_ under any circumstances tell him what you do, and I swear Smoker, if I don't have that letter by the end of the week I am going to make your life more of a living hell than it already is," at that the call was dropped.

"Great, just great. Thanks Marty and keep the change," I got out of the cab and gently brought the boy back up into a bridal carry. He was light enough, not to mention skinny enough, to carry in this pose with one hand. So I thankfully didn't need to ask Coby, the door man, for assistance. Making my way up to the top of Loguetown Apartment Complex, I happily opened my door and walked inside. Sick of the stupid suit that I was forced to wear I set the boy gently on the couch and went to my room to change. I only finished unbuttoning it when I heard the clatter of glass shattering and quickly moved into the room I had left the boy in. I don't know if it was a good or bad thing but the boy was up and he had the eyes of a beast trapped inside a cage with no way out.


	2. Flight and Resolve

**I don't think this is how it happened in my head. No, it was definitely different. Oh well, the story was originally supposed to have a female instead of Luffy and she wasn't supposed to have any friends or reasons to run away. There were no sexual ideas in it and I still don't know how to end it. Alas, that is why this is fun to write. I don't know where it is going or how it will get there; therefore, I myself have to continue writing so that I know how it ends. Which brings me to a question that I have been asking myself for a long while, are all long as hell stories planned from the very beginning to end, including the things at the beginning, or is it all just one big happy mind festival with a glance back every now and again to see if something can be added to explain the past? Either or, I own not the characters, but I do own a "X" button that doesn't like to work so if you see an x missing in a word or two, I tried to have it there, I really did.**

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**Luffy's POV**

I had woken with a start when I noticed that the warmth that I was clinging to was nowhere near me. My eyes shot around an unfamiliar room trying to discern where I was. It was rather lavish, the kind of place Lucci liked, but it also seemed simple. There wasn't that much too it. It had white and light blue colored walls and shelves. The tables were a normal blue but it contrasted the lighter colors so that it didn't feel as blinding. Each small table also had a glass vase on it filled with marble stones and water. I looked at one closely and noticed that there was a fish swimming around in it.

It was a complete accident, I wanted to look around more before Lucci came in to get me but as I tapped the glass the vase kind of decided to fall on its own. The shattering of the glass seemed to echo through the whole of the room and I, instinctively, jumped up onto the white couch that I had been sitting on. Fear gripped me as I waited to Lucci's black hair but instead I saw white hair and panic set in deeper.

Where am I, who is that, what does he want, is he my prey, is he going to hurt me for breaking the vase, should I try to save the fish, where's the kitchen, or maybe the bathroom would be better, but on the other hand-

"Are you okay?" the gruff voice brought me out of my reprieve. I glanced back at him and noticed that there was a gleam in his eyes. It wasn't the gleam that Lucci usually had when he looked at me deciding on how he wants to do me, but I also couldn't place it either.

"The fish is going to die," my voice sounded out before I could think of something to say. I mentally slapped myself for saying that as I didn't understand the importance of the fish.

I watched as the man looked down at the fish, his face still as impassive and unreadable as when he first entered the room. He then sighed and started to cross the room. Unsure of what he was thinking, I started to get off the couch to save the fish when he snapped, "Don't move." I flinched at the demanding tone in his voice. It reminded of Lucci when I did something he didn't like. Afraid of a punishment, I froze. I was still slightly kneeling and I felt my balance begin to sway but I forced myself to stay upright and not move. The man sighed as he bent down to collect the fish in his hands. He glanced at me and his silver eyes and sighed once again, "If you need to sit then sit, just don't get off the couch until I finish cleaning this up."

My eyes widened in shock. Normally I would have been yelled at to clean up the mess no matter what I was wearing. I've had to clean up a whole room filled with glass once with nothing on, not even a scrap of clothing. I had ended up almost bleeding to death and all that my "savior" could tell me was, 'You should not have angered me. Do it again and it will be worse next time.' I shivered at the memory, then remembered that I had run away from Kaku and Blueno after Lucci had asked for me. I couldn't see myself but I felt every last drop of color leave me at the thought of an angry Lucci. Kaku and Blueno didn't matter as much as Lucci since they were only allowed to touch me when they needed to take me somewhere. Hell, the only one I needed to fear was Lucci, the only one allowed to do anything to me.

I shivered again, already trying to picture what Lucci was going to do to me when I next saw him. Knowing it was inevitable, I looked in the direction that the man had gone, making sure he couldn't see me. With a quick glance around, I noticed the front door and silently slipped off the couch and through the glass, making no more of a sound than a few small cracks from small pieces of glass that I stepped on. I was thankful that I could hear the water from the faucet as I slowly made my way to the door. Unfortunately for me, the white-haired man seemed to think it safe enough to leave the faucet running without him there. I glanced wide-eyed as he entered the room. His eyes widened in shock and realization as I quickly threw open the door and ran out.

**Smoker's POV**

After I brought the fish to the kitchen, I started to feel… uneasy. Sort of like that one time I saw Tashigi ready to lay down her life to stop a mad-man from running rampant. She came too close to dying that time and I hated the feeling of uselessness that seeing her in that state made me feel. Sighing once again, and slowly getting sick of it, I grabbed out a bowl and brought it to the faucet and placed the fish in it, filling it with water. Seeing the fish reminded of the boy who looked like he was about to cry when I told him not to move. Then the look of shock and confusion that entered his face when I told him he could sit. Then I remembered who the boy was.

I left a suspected swindler alone.

"Shit," I don't think I meant for it to come out of mouth, but the word did nonetheless. I hurried back to the living room just in time to see the boy stop in front of the front door. His eyes wide with shock that I was there, mine at my stupidity. I was just about to tell him not to go when he opened the door and bolted out of the room. "Damn it all-" I started as I took off after him, feeling that slight nagging feeling that I forgot something. Pushing it aside, I followed after the boy.

For someone I deemed not very fit, the boy ran fast and gracefully, easily avoiding random things that popped up in his path. It was kind of annoying, watching his agility and seeing how easily he could get away. I had to wonder why he even wanted my help. Pushing that thought aside, I pulled out my phone and quickly called the front desk.

"Hello?" came the voice, it wasn't Coby.

"Who the hell is this?" my voice came out much harsher than I thought it was going to come out as.

"Ah, I'm Nami-" she started.

"Aren't you a sneak thief?" I questioned as the name ringed a bell.

"Community service, I'm working here as, I think they called a sort of 'rehabilitation' since all the residences here are-"

"Shit, I don't have time for this!" I called out seeing the boy finally make it into the elevator. "I need you to lock the front door. _Do not_ let out the kid with a straw hat. I don't care how you stop him just stop him."

Silence answered my plea before I heard a sigh, probably mingled in with a smile, "That's fine, but my services will cost you."

"Damn fucking thief! Five thousand but no more!"

"That's plenty, you don't have to worry about a thing," with that she hung up and I finally made it to the stairs. Ignoring the idea of taking it two steps at a time, I threw myself over the railing and landed with a loud thud before dashing to do it again.

Finally making my way to the bottom floor, I yanked open the door and stood speechless as I saw the boy smiling and talking to the thief with overall joy on his face, almost as if they knew each other. Minding my anger, I slowly approached the two and glanced over at Nami. Two years ago, her picture was added to the wanted list. She looked much different from then. Her orange hair was longer and fell in waves. Her light brown eyes held a soft sparkle to them. Her clothes were the standard uniform but she seemed to have tailored it to show more. I could barely make out her famous orange-into-pinwheel tattoo situated on her left shoulder. As I finally came into the boy's view, the talking ceased.

I could see the boy tense up. Fear was the only thing I could see in his eyes. For some reason, that made me flinch inwardly. Why the hell was I so fucking worried about this damn brat? I had only met the kid for the first time today, yet he was already important to me. I decided to question that later and for now just put it off as it being my assignment.

"It's better if you stay here," the girl's voice had us both snapping our heads to look at her.

"I can't," the boy whispered out, clearly not happy about the conversation. "If I don't go, 'he' will only get madder."

"That's all the more reason you should stay! You can't let him control you like this. You need to break away," Nami again tried to convince the child. I couldn't help but to raise one of my eyebrows. This conversation wasn't making any sense to me.

"He'll find me. You of all people should know what will happen when he does," the kid barely got out before tears left his eyes. "Nami, I don't want to go back! I don't want to work for 'him' anymore! I don't want to be 'his' pet! But more than anything, I don't want to see people hurt because of my selfishness!"

It was my first hearing his voice above a whisper. Originally, he voice would be sweet, a sound that could easily calm you, but his held the weight of years of mental torture. After hearing it, something snapped and without thinking the words were already leaving my mouth. Both of the two stared at me after I had finished, almost as if I had sprouted a second head. Both of their eyes also held the same unspoken question, 'Did you really mean that?' I steeled my resolve and nodded. I had, indeed meant what I had said so I repeated it once more, "Let this 'he' bastard come. No matter what you say or what the bastard says you're not going anywhere so long as he is there. I will not let that bastard near you, and even if you plead for me to stop, I will kill that bastard if he dares to touch you ever again."

**Nami's POV**

I stared at the man standing before Luffy, such conviction in his eyes and voice. I had originally planned to stop Luffy only to take him with me when my shift was over. We had hit it off two years ago, after he accidentally "escaped" from his "care takers." It really had been an accident, but the boy had seemed to be enjoying himself so I, along with my friends, decided to keep him with us.

It hadn't even been a full year when that man had barged in our hideout, absolute hatred and anger on his face. Luffy had stopped talking and stared at the man, raw terror clear in his eyes. The man, ignoring me and my friends, strode up to Luffy and back-handed him across the face hard enough to send him flying. At that, me and my friends went to jump the man who had hurt our newest friend. We didn't get far though. The man hadn't come alone, and we were no match. As I started to black out, I heard him pleading to the bastard of a man not to kill us. I don't know what Luffy had to go through to get him to listen, but he had saved our lives.

Now, I see him standing before me, hurt and broken but still trying to the protect the people around him. Looking at the man who decided to force his protection onto the boy brought a smile to my lips before a phone call erased it. Huffing out my anger I picked up the damn phone, "Hello?"

"Ah, you're that new person at the front desk, right?" came a sing-song voice that had me seething for unknown reasons. Whoever this guy was, I didn't like him.

"Yes, how may I help you?" I responded through gritted teeth. Both Luffy and the other guy looked at me with slight surprise.

"You see, I think someone left his faucet running. I can only hear outside of his door but he isn't supposed to be home."

"Faucet running?"

"Yes, its apartment G-5."

"I see, apartment G-5 then-" I broke off as the man before me paled.

"Shit, I forgot about that!" he cried out before I could finish and grabbed the boy before heading for the elevator.

"Oh, is Smoker down with you? Great, then problem solved, sorry to bother you," with that the call was dropped.

"Smoker, I believe we need to have a little talk later, okay?" I called out to him before the elevator doors closed. "Smoker, huh? Luffy, you certainly found a dangerous man to protect you. I just hope it doesn't end badly, especially considering who he is."

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**I also decided to change the rating cause thinking back on it, I'm not quite sure what was going through my head when I gave it a rating. I'm also starting to question whether this is going to follow the summary or not. *sigh* Oh what to do, what to do. Also I have a question. The original plan for the story was to have most of the people psychics. (that looks spelled wrong but everything says I spelled it right) So when I changed it into a fanfic I had thought of making it their devil fruit powers instead, but now I'm torn. Since it would probably work either way, I decide to ask for your honest opinions. So if you have a preference, please tell. If not, I'll figure something out. Also, I hoped you enjoyed cause I never knew how much fun writing things like this could be. I'll try to update as often as possible but I hold no promises, mainly because my writing is sporadic and I can only write certain things in the right conditions, and I hate it when people make promises that they either can't keep or don't know if they can keep it, so no promises. Though, you should expect wild tangents because I tend to write a lot of them, at least I think I went off on another tangent. Anywho, hope you enjoyed and please share your thoughts on the powers in this world.**


	3. Jobs

**Luffy's POV**

I stared up into the man's face. Nami had called him Smoker before the elevator doors had closed. So I guess that was one mystery solved, I finally knew the name of the person I had unintentionally dragged into my mess. Unfortunately, that didn't make me feel any better. The guy could be a god and Lucci would still find a way to hurt him. I didn't want that, I have seen the effects of my decision to stay away from Lucci twice already. The last time, I was afraid that Lucci was going to have the small group of friends killed, just like what had happened ten years before my time with Nami and the gang.

I shivered visibly when I remembered Lucci's face when he had found me both of those times. I had never seen a demon but whenever I heard the word, Lucci's face entered my mind. It wasn't that he was mean or cruel, he was normally nice, cunning and diabolical, but he had never really gone over the top.

I believe that most people would call it possessive. I knew that Lucci had grown attached to me from the moment he found me when I was three and he was fourteen. He had taken me home and gotten his father to adopt me. I truly owed him my life.

I wasn't always used in the plans when conning people out of money, or going through with a delivery of revenge. No, that had started after the first time I had "disappeared." It was an honest accident. I had gotten lost but Lucci didn't like that and he went over the top. I try to forget that day, no good comes with remembering it.

So instead I looked up at the man that I had tried to run from. It was going rather well, until Nami had stopped me at the door. Actually, I was the one who stopped upon seeing her. I honestly never thought that I would see her again and just seeing her face had made me want to cry and smile and hug her all at the same time.

She got to it first.

I was in her embrace, tears falling on my shoulder, and her happy voice tinged with sobs at my ear. It was a pleasant feeling to know that she had worried about me and missed me, but I couldn't cry. I didn't want her to know that I was just as scared and lonely as she thought I was. No, that would make it impossible to return to my master's side.

Sighing, the elevator door opened and I was again dragged by the white-haired man to his apartment. He opened the door and kind of threw me inside when he heard another door open. "Ah, so you are here Smoker," came a voice that sounded rather familiar.

"What do you want-" Smoker started but was cut off by the other person.

"Nothing at all. I'm just surprised that the ever diligent Smoker is cutting work," the other voice sang like he now knew a secret that would get the other to do his will.

Smoker sighed and started to walk into the room. "I am working," was all he said as he closed the door. He then brought his attention back to me. His silver eyes again trying to figure out what to make of me.

Grabbing my arm once again, I was dragged first to the kitchen where he turned off the water, then down the hall to a door that led into a large bathroom.

I took great offence to that.

I bathed regularly, there was no way I smelled. Then again, I was in the underground for over four hours and the smell down there does tend to cling to people who had barely been there a minute. While Smoker's back was to me I raised one of my arms to smell it, _Nope, not that bad_ was all I could think of. I really didn't smell enough for him to actually care.

"I'll leave you to get in," he said while making his way to the door. "I'll bring in fresh clothes, though it probably won't fit, and don't worry about the soap and stuff, I only keep it in my room. Just try to relax."

I stared at his back as he left. He brought me to the bathroom in order to relax? What did me being relaxed have to do with him? Sure he said that he would protect me, but that didn't mean anything, did it? He sounded convinced but hadn't that just been said in the heat of the moment? I was tempted to run out of the room and tell him that I didn't need his sympathy when I realized that I was stiff and sore. _Maybe I do need to relax_ I thought as I looked at the steaming water waiting for me in the tub.

I gave into the temptation and undressed, careful when taking off my shirt so as not to upset my scar. It was old and already healed, but for some reason, whenever I touched it, I wanted to cry out in pain. It was a part of my forgotten past. If you could call the time between ages one second to three years a forgotten past. Probably not but I felt that the scar was important. Much like the straw hat that I kept with me. Not sure why it was important but I knew I would rather die than have anything happen to it.

All of that aside, I finally got my shirt over the X-shaped scar on my chest with minimal contact. Taking off my pants and setting my discarded clothes in a neat pile, I placed my straw hat onto the stool net to the tub and gently lowered myself into the hot water.

I had never felt pure bliss before. Almost as soon I was sitting I wanted to fall asleep. I hadn't even realized I was so tense until Smoker had pointed it out to me. Was I losing my touch? Or was it Lucci? He had wanted me to come to him before I had attached myself to Smoker, but he couldn't reach me. "Heh, yeah right. How many times did I think that?" I slid my head under the water, trying to clear my thoughts of all the different random things that were floating in it. Mainly that Nami was okay, and if she was okay then the others might be fine too. They had to be.

I brought my head back out of the water and the door opened. I glanced back to see that the man had changed. He was no longer wearing the suit that didn't fit him, now it was jean pants and a white jacket that wasn't zipped. I had been right, he had muscle and his actually showed.

"Just dropping off the clothes," was all he said. He didn't even look my way.

"Thank you," I managed to spit out before he left. I really started to doubt that he was actually serious about what he had said at the lobby. He didn't even seem the type to protect anyone, not even his family. Though, I have never been good at judging people like him based on appearance. For all I knew, he could have been a saint. Speaking of clothes-

I lifted myself out of the water and grabbed the towel that was laying on top of the clothes he had brought in. After I was dry I put on the way too big shirt, didn't even try with the pants since the shirt covered everything anyways, grabbed my straw hat, and left the bathroom. He was sitting in the living room, head leaned all the way back showing me a full view of his thick neck. My stomach tightened, why I don't know, but I went past that and put on my best game face. "Don't you have work?"

I don't know why I felt so much joy in watching him jump, but his face is one I will never forget. It was one that went from shock to almost pure terror. "What about pants?" he almost screamed.

So that's why he acting odd. I grinned devilishly, on the inside of course I didn't want to give away my true persona. He had fallen for me. This might have not been a real job but the prey had taken the bait nonetheless.

**Smoker's POV**

The little shithead didn't even bother to try the pants. Granted I knew they wouldn't fit, but he didn't need to walk around with nothing but a too big white shirt and a straw hat. I'm sure that if anyone came in, they would assume he was my lover or something of the like. Makes me happy that I don't have friends that would visit. Though, I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad that I only really have one friend, an over-obsessed subordinate, asshole superiors that don't give a shit about human life so long as their ideals are followed, and a bunch of yes-men that shouldn't be yes-men.

Sighing I messaged my forehead and stood up. "Wait there, I'll go see if my neighbor has any pants," he looked at me and I swear I saw the faintest smirk cross his face. If I didn't know any better than I would have said the kid had multiple personalities with everything I've witnessed today. Then again, who's to say he doesn't?

Ignoring my inner turmoil, I left the apartment, silently praying that the kid wouldn't another running session, and over to my neighbor's door. There were a million thoughts going through my head as I brought my hand up to knock on the wooden shield. To say that my neighbor and I hated each other was a poor understatement. I'm not entirely certain but I believe he has a job besides his "day" job. There isn't an actual story behind my suspicion, so it's just a groundless claim I will never be able to bring up in any type of conversation.

The door opened before I could knock. Standing in front of me, much to my surprise was a tall, broad, and thick man. He kind of had this gray complexion but I was hoping that it is just how my eyes perceived him in the light of the building, though knowing my luck, it wasn't my eyes. Leave it to the man who dresses like a fucking flamingo to find a man to contradict his flamboyancy.

I didn't bother to look up. Why, well let's see, he had a golden hook for a left hand, he was wearing a fur coat, he had a hook for his left hand, he rudely pushed passed me before I could even look up, and did I mention he had a hook for his left hand? I know of only one person who had a hook for a hand and I had hoped to never meet him. I don't even know why I thought that was ever going to happen.

"Smoker, what a pleasant surprise," the damn sing-song voice is already giving me a headache and haven't even asked the damn question that is going to drive the shitty bird into full teasing mode.

"Doflamingo, I was wondering if you had any… 'small' pants that I could borrow for the day," I ask as politely as I can. Like I said, we don't get along, we hate each other's guts, I'm almost positive that if given the choice between becoming the best of friends and dying where we stand, we both chose dying every-time.

The blond man then decided that he had to ponder for a moment before that shit eating grin grew on his face and I regretted my decision to ask this sunglassed pink man anything, "Why do need 'small' pants? Oh, did you finally get yourself-"

"No, it's for work," I quickly cut the man off.

The bastard practically cackled, "Sorry, I'm afraid that my lover high-tailed it out of my life yesterday and took all of his clothes with him. By the way, why did you leave your apartment with the water running?"

"Business," was all I grunted before walking back to my apartment and praying that the kid was still in the room. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that he was.

"So…" he looked up from the couch with a questioning look.

"So?"

"Pants?" was all he responded with and I was again aware that he was nothing but an oversized shirt.

Groaning inwardly I pulled out my phone, "I'm going to have to ask someone else. Are you hungry?"

A light flashed through the kid's eyes, it was one that was mixed with a pure sensation of bliss and panic. It made it impossible to tell if he wanted anything or not. "We'll go out to an all-you-can-eat buffet and you can have whatever you like there after I get pants from my friend. I guess you'll also need your own shirt so I'll probably just have her by a whole new set of clothes for you, any preferences?" The kid shook his head, "Alright, if you know of anywhere you need to avoid to stay away from that man then tell me before we leave. You can watch the T.V. if you want to, besides my room and study, which are the first two doors down the hallway, you can have full range of the house. Just try not to break anything else and don't leave."

After throwing him my list, I left for the kitchen to call Tashigi. Might as well just give her the description of the clothes the kid was wearing when we met. Come to think of it, "Kid, what's your name?"

I peeked around the wall in time to see the kid jump in shock and almost drop one of my priceless vinyl records. I have to remember to put a lock on everything that I don't want broken. Looking at his questioning gaze, I curse every single fucking being, god or otherwise, that is above me, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but know that I'll just end up calling you either kid or brat."

"Lu…" he barely mumbles it.

Sighing in exasperation I officially give up with trying to understand the boy, "Fine then, as of this moment you are Mugiwara and I don't want to hear any complaints unless you want to tell me your name."

As I bring my head back from the wall, I catch the faintest of smiles grace the boy's lips. It isn't like the joyful, relieved smile he gave Nami, but an actual smile that lets one glance at the true emotions that the person is feeling. His smile then was one that did not fit his face at all. It was heart-wrenching and not something that I would ever want to see on the kid's face.

Fear, pain, sadness, and loneliness are not something the boy should ever feel, why I know this is because my fucking instincts tell me more about the boy than he does. Besides, what kid should feel those things at all? This is going to be one hell of a job.


	4. Food, Discovery, and Betrayal

**Tashigi is out of character. Then again, most of the people are. Anyway, its slowly falling into the outline, I think. No matter, I'm happy with it and I can't wait to start on the next chapter. Pure bliss is what how I feel just thinking about what's going to happen. But no yaoi yet. Muahahaha, shit I'm tired. What's worse is that it's not even that late. Oh well, I already consider myself an old man. Maybe its the music I'm listening to as I write, its kind of creepy. Also, the check thingy isn't working so sorry for all of the errors.**

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**Tashigi's POV**

"I'm sorry."

"You sure as hell don't sound sorry!"

"If they're so important then why are they just sitting where anyone can touch them?"

"Most people aren't dumb enough to touch them!"

"I don't see what the big deal is anyway, there just giant discs!"

"They're vinyl records and they're worth more than you can make in a hundred years!"

"SMOKER!" I finally got fed up with listening to Smoker argue with some random stranger that he had to pick off the street. It's not that it wasn't fun, I was tired of holding three bags of clothes and hearing the snickering of Doflamingo as he listened with amusement clearly plastered to his face.

I heard the shuffle of slight panic before the door was opened to show a very pissed off Smoker to the hall. His anger soon turned to embarrassment when he saw that many of his neighbors were staring. Grabbing my arm, he pulled me in and slammed the door shut, informing the nosy people that the show was over.

After regaining my balance, I looked around to see a young boy, my guess is more in his teens with a baby face, standing painfully still next to Smoker's shelf of records. From what I could gather from their argument, the teen had broken one of them, and from the way Smoker had acted, it was a favorite.

I watched as Smoker walked over and picked up the boy and walked down the hallway, "Tashigi, follow me." Sighing and saying nothing since I was told to not alert or startle the kid by my polite way of speaking to my superior, I followed.

We were soon in the bathroom and I noticed that the kid's feet were bleeding. Without any warning, and because I've always wanted to do something like this, I pushed Smoker out of the way and started to examine the boy's feet. He winced in slight pain and Smoker stood there, hovering like a doting mother.

"Get me the first aid kit and give me some room to work," I snapped. I knew that I'd have hell to pay later, but I was going to milk this situation as much as I could since I knew I would never get another chance to do anything like this.

Don't get me wrong, I look up to and respect Smoker, but a girl just has to let out some steam sometimes. That and I was still pissed that the Cat Burglar wouldn't tell me where Zoro was, so Smoker just happened to be my form of release.

After getting the first aid kit to me, I watched Smoker walk off muttering something under his breath. I turned my attention to the onyx-haired male sitting before me. Using the tweezers, I gently removed the little pieces of record that was lodged in his feet. When I was satisfied that there were no more pieces of record resting in his skin, I brought out the disinfectant and dabbed some of it on a cloth. Grabbing hold of his ankle tightly, I gently applied the cold cloth to his foot. He hissed out and my fears were proven correct, this boy had not had proper medical treatment for any of the many scars that littered his body. Though I could only see his feet, legs, and arms, I could tell that there were many more scars covering the boy.

I'm not a doctor so I don't know how to do anything other than the basics of first-aid, so I made a mental note to get the kid in to see a doctor. For now, I brought my focus back to the task at hand and continued to gently disinfect the small cuts on his feet.

Once his feet were disinfected, about half-way through Smoker became a doting mother again, I gently and thinly wrapped his feet and patted his leg and smiled, "That better?"

The boy nodded. He seemed uncomfortable with the fact that I had helped him but that did nothing but make me angry at whoever this kid's guardian is, "I brought you some clothes, but I don't know if they'll fit so I'm going to-"

"There fine," was his quick and panicked reply.

I narrowed my eyes but stood up to leave nonetheless. Dragging Smoker with me to the front door I stopped before I opened it, "He's hiding something that he doesn't want people to see."

"He's hiding more than that and you can expect a nice long talk about your behavior when I get back to work," Smoker hissed at me and I lightly saluted and left, wondering just what that kid had gone through.

**Luffy's POV**

I felt bad for snapping at the lady after she helped me, but I don't like answering questions about something that I don't even know myself. My scar was a sensitive area for me to go into. Saying that I just woke up with it didn't appeal to most people but I didn't know how I got it.

Shaking my head, I went to look through the bags of clothes. They were, for the most part, exactly like the ones I was wearing in the station. I grabbed out the red shirt and blue shorts and carefully removed the white shirt in order to put on the new clothes. The shirt was a good loose so that it didn't irritate my scar and the shorts were just right.

Grabbing out the brown sandals, I opened the door and walked to the living room to see that the black mess was cleaned, but Smoker still looked angry about it. He was watching my movements like a hawk watches a mouse. It was interesting to feel the gaze that I have directed towards so many. Standing in the entryway of the hallway, I held his gaze with no hesitation and no emotions.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked slowly and deliberately, forcing himself away from the subject that he really wanted to get into.

I nodded in response and he walked over and placed me into a too big jacket and brought the hood over my head. He made sure that the shape of the straw hat that was hanging on my back wasn't too obvious.

Grabbing hold of my arm, he led me to the door and we walked out. There were some people in the hall but Smoker just glared at them and continued to the elevator. I looked up to his face only to see him scowling and muttering profanities under his breath, "You don't get along with people, do you?"

"No one on this floor gets along," was his answer. That didn't seem to be accurate though. I could tell that the people on this floor was more wary of each other but I hadn't gotten the feeling that they don't get along. Smoker also wasn't lying about it so I wasn't sure how to view his neighbors.

In the end, I just let it go. There was no point in searching for answers to things that held no meaning to me. Knowing Lucci, I wasn't going to be staying here long anyway. Smoker didn't matter and neither did the people in his life.

"Are you sure going out is a smart idea?" the upset voice of Nami broke through my self-inflicted-mental-attack. Her honey-brown eyes boring into Smoker as he ignored her question and continued to head for the exit. "If I see your ass back here without Luffy, you better hope that there is someone else working 'cause I won't be letting your ass back in here."

Smoker pushed the glass doors open and made me pull down the hood the rest of the way. He then hailed a taxi and dragged me in behind him. "The Baratie," Smoker told the driver as he closed the door.

Our ride was spent in silence but once we got out in front of the restaurant and Smoker paid the driver, he seemed to relax more and his hold on my arm lessened in ferocity. We walked in and were led into a private room. The room was a simple room with low lighting and a table for two. It seemed more like one of those "special" date set-ups.

"Um-" I started upon seeing the room.

"I only reserved it for its privacy," Smoker replied quickly, "don't get any weird ideas." I nodded and sat down.

We waited in silence for our waiter to come. After about two minutes, Smoker opened his mouth only to shut it again when the door finally opened. In came a young blond man in a dark blue suit. His hair covered his right eye and he had a swirl at the end of his eyebrow. He was fairly tall with long legs and he looked muscular. Smoker stared at the man with his mouth slightly agape while I jumped out of my seat and tackled the man.

"Sanji!" I screamed as I felt tears slowly start to form.

The blond man's blue eye widen in surprise and his mouth contorted into a happy confusion, "Luffy?"

"Wait, you know him?" Smoker asked but I couldn't tell who he was talking to so I decided to ignore him.

"What are you doing here you little shit?" Sanji asked, affectionately ruffling my hair.

I smiled at him and jerked my head in Smoker's direction, "He's treating me."

Sanji's face fell, "What about-" he cut off when I flinched. "No matter, I'll bring you our finest meat dish, and what would you like, sir?"

"Whatever the hell your bringing him," was all Smoker said.

Sanji nodded and got up, I noted that Smoker was watching him wearily. After Sanji was out of the room, I walked back to my seat and waited for Smoker to question me.

"You know the whole gang, don't you?" he asked after a few seconds of staring.

"Yep," I chirped, "Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, and Brook all joined me a few years ago when I needed help."

I saw recognition flash across his face after I finished. I wasn't surprised. After all, the gang was named after my trade-mark.

**Smoker's POV**

What the hell turn of events is this and why the hell didn't the straw-hat give him away? I'm having dinner with one of the most notorious criminals to form a gang. "Your Mugiwara no Luffy, aren't you?"

The brat nodded. _Shit, you have got to be kidding me_ is all I could think before Black Leg Sanji came back with three plates and a chair. "You have got to be shitting me."

Black Leg looked at me with a 'don't think I don't know who you are' look on his face, "You have to earn my trust before I let the idiot leave with you. You can't do that by the end of desert, I'm taking him with me."

"That's what Nami said, sort of," Mugiwara said as Black Leg sat down and put the plates down. I noticed that the kid had more on his plate but I could care less.

"Of course you shit head," Black Leg said. "Do you really think we forgot about the last time we saw you?"

The brat shook his head, pain evident on his face. Knowing that the onlooker probably wanted the same answers that I did, I decided to pretend that he wasn't there. "What were you doing in the underground?"

The look on the kid's face showed slight irritation, "Hunting."

That was an unexpected answer, "Hunting for what?"

He put down his fork, "My job. If I want to eat, then I have to hunt."

I nodded but he didn't make any move to pick up the utensil. Sighing, I placed my fork down and decided to continue, "Who do you work for?"

"I can't tell you his name."

"Appearance?"

"Cocky bastard with black hair and black eyes. He's a good ventriloquist and a sadist. He's also a leopard," the last part caught me off guard.

"A leopard?" Mugiwara nodded. "I see, so what is it that you do besides hunting?"

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," he said it with such a serious look on his face that I actually believed he could do it.

"If you don't tell me, I can't help you," I don't even know where that came from but it didn't seem to affect the kid in the least.

"Speak," Black Leg demanded and both of us looked at him, forgetting that he was there. The kid shook his head and Black Leg stood, towering over the kid, "Spill it!"

"He wants me to gather money from rich people and bring strong people over to his side by seducing them," amethyst eyes stared down at his uneaten food.

Black Leg sat back down, "What else?"

Still not looking up, the brat answered, "That's it, all that's left is to obey his every command and whim."

"Good boy, now eat," Black Leg forced the fork back into his leader's hand and began to eat himself.

"Wha-" I started.

"Eat!" the waiter snapped and I began to eat, not feeling like angering the person helping me get answers.

Ten minutes later and we were eating desert. Don't ask me what it was, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I just know that it was sweet. No, sweet was an understatement. "Your cooking's as good as ever, Sanji," was the first thing the brat had said after he took a bite.

"You're a cook?" I asked.

Black Leg looked at me, silent fury in his eyes, "Full time now that the authorities have me under watch, but the shitty old man that runs this place keeps me from having to wear one of those shitty bracelets."

"You guys got caught," Mugiwara stated with remembrance and guilt in his voice.

The cook looked at his leader, "It's not like it's your fault. So then, where do you normally stay?"

Swallowing what was in his mouth, the kid suddenly found his spoon interesting, "There's this old apartment complex that was built using a cliff for support. If you go to the back you'll find a hole in the cliff face and the base I work out of is in there."

"The cliff in Red Line?" I questioned and received a nod. "Do you do all of your business there?" Another nod. "What about when you have to see your boss?"

"Red Line, different location," the kid answered and put another bite in his mouth.

"Then your boss is a part of the government?" I looked and saw a question in his eyes.

For the first time that the questioning started producing answers, he looked into my eyes. Actually, that was the first time he looked into my eyes since our initial meeting, but this time, he quickly averted his gaze, "I think he works for the government. I know that he's part of some elite group. No, he's the leader of that group but he still takes orders from someone else."

"He's strong," the cook inputted.

I nodded and thought for a second, "Why are you working for him if you don't like him?"

The kid flinched and his eyes became foggy and glassed over, "He 'saved' my life so I owe him."

"How long?" he looked at me quizzically. "How long have you been with him?"

"Since I was three so about sixteen years," the kid calculated.

My gaze softened against my will. He was trained to think that he couldn't run away, "Don't you think that you've repaid your debt?"

Tears finally started to fall, "I'll never be able to repay it. He doesn't want to let me go." There was nothing I could say to that so I got up and walked over to him. Kneeling down, I brought him to my chest and let him cry into it.

I rubbed his back and tried to calm him down. I still don't know what the kid had to go through, but he was scared by it. He had been waiting for someone to save him but gave up as this unknown bastard broke him piece by piece. That was the moment I stopped seeing him as a criminal. No matter what he did or would do, he was innocent in my eyes.

"Well now Mr. Smoker, it looks like you pass. Don't hurt my captain or I will hunt you down, "the cook said as he gathered up the plates. "And don't worry about the meal, it's on me." He left and I waited until Luffy had stopped crying before getting up and covering him again.

We walked out of the restaurant and he froze. Standing at the end of the sidewalk were the two people from the station. I felt my heart fall as he detached my hand and walked to them.

**Sanji's POV**

I really didn't think that Smoker would pass the test but I could tell that he wasn't doing this because it was his job. He cared and the mere thought made me smirk.

I knew that I could always trust Nami's judgment, but we all become a bit more protective when it comes to Luffy. After all, he brought us together.

After Brook joined us, he realized how long he had been away and tried to leave but we wouldn't let him. He looked like he was the one that needed saving more than any of us had. In all honesty, it was our own faults that we almost died the night Luffy's boss came to get him. If it wasn't for our insisting that he stay, that bastard would have never felt the need to mentally destroy all that Luffy had left.

It doesn't matter if I tell him that, not like the idiot will listen. He's stuck with the teachings that everything that happens to the people he cares about is his fault. Probably like the beaten Smoker.

Yep seeing the form of the man I had just entrusted my precious captain to slumped against the wall didn't leave a good feeling. What was worse was that I could tell that the wound was Luffy's doing. They had found him, and he was going back to his nightmare.

**Also, thank you FlightWulf for believing that this deserves more reviews, it makes me happy, but I still believe in writing for the hell of it. I do enjoy the boost to my self-esteem that it produces and it does make writing more enjoyable when I know other's enjoy it, but I don't want to force people to do something that they either don't want to do or don't feel like they can do. I will thank everyone who has reviewed, especially since I know that you won't say it just because you don't want to hurt my feelings. Unless your like me and can't even bring yourself to do that over the internet. Anyway, your review was joy to read and I'm glad you enjoy the randomness my brain produces on occasion.**


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